Jalgaon Launches 'Spice Cluster' To Boost Income Of Tribal Farmers Through Crop Cultivation

A 'Spice Cluster' will be formed for the economic upliftment of tribal forest rights holders in order to increase the income of tribal farmers in their fields and improve their standard of living. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed with Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. Jalgaon to prepare this cluster. A meeting was held today under the chairmanship of Jalgaon District Collector Ayush Prasad regarding the formation of 'Spice Cluster' in the tribal area, along with the District Level Office Head of the government system, concerned Taluka Agriculture Officer and Jain Irrigation officials regarding the formation of 'Spice Cluster'.

In order to increase the income of individual forest rights holders (tribal farmers) approved by the District Level Forest Rights Committee in PESA area (Scheduled Area) and improve their standard of living, a spice cluster is being formed to cultivate chilli, turmeric, tomato, ginger, garlic, onion in the fields of tribal farmers in the tribal areas and get guaranteed prices for their farm produce as per the agreement.

To implement this scheme and to provide detailed information about the scheme to the forest rights farmers in the tribal area in two phases, a two-day workshop will be held at Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. Jalgaon under the chairmanship of the District Collector on how to get more income in less time by cultivating chilli, turmeric, tomato, ginger, garlic and onion in the fields of tribal farmers.

Instructions were given to the Agriculture Department (State level, Atma and District level (ZP)  to prepare village-wise Spice Clusters of individual forest rights holders (tribal farmers) approved by the District Level Forest Rights Committee in the PESA area (Scheduled Area) by April 10, 2025. Also, District Collector Ayush Prasad has given instructions in this meeting to prepare an annual action plan through the Agriculture Department for the implementation of this scheme.

In the review meeting chaired by District Collector Ayush Prasad, Project Director of DRDA RS Lokhande, Deputy District Collector Archana More, Integrated Tribal Development Project Officer, Yaval, Arun Pawar, District Superintendent of  Agriculture  Jalgaon, Qurban Tadvi, Manager Lead Bank Jalgaon, Pranav Kumar Jha, Deputy Chief Executive Officer ZP Jalgaon, Social Worker Pratibha Shinde, Vice President of Jain Irrigation Anil Joshi, office bearers Dr Balkrishna, Dr Anil Dhake, Dr KB Patil, Gautam Desarda, and tribal farmers were present.